How to Prevent Theft at your Business
It’s every business owners worst nightmare: you open up your premises in the morning only to find you’ve been broken into. Yet did you know that two thirds of businesses experience some sort of theft? Ranging from external theft to employee theft and ‘buddy punching’ – there are many ways your business may be affected.
Theft can have devastating consequences to you and your business, so to help small businesses we’ve put together our 5 top tips to stay protected.
1. Secure valuable property
A seemingly obvious first step that’s often overlooked, it’s important to make sure that anything of value is under lock and key. By investing in good quality padlocks, such as these offered here, you can lock away your physical items, and for anything online, make sure passwords are strong and not widely distributed.
2. Invest in security cameras and other deterrents
If you’re concerned about external theft, it’s a good idea to invest in security cameras and surveillance to deter would-be criminals from breaking in. With over 2 million thefts offences recorded by UK police forces every year, it pays to be safe rather than sorry.
3. Be cautious when handling money
If you’re tasked with depositing money at the bank on behalf of your business, make sure you’re extra vigilant. If you can, try to vary your route on your trips and go during the day. If you don’t feel comfortable doing so, you can also take someone with you to the bank.
4. Be vigilant
Whilst trust is important, unfortunately sometimes theft occurs because of your own employees. One way to prevent this is to conduct thorough training to spot any behaviour from employees (or others coming into the business!) which may suggest they may be up to no good.
Things to look out for range from the sudden desire to work late, lifestyles that don’t seem to match up to salaries and red flags such as a reluctance to procedural changes where finances are in question.
Training your team to spot the signs can help reduce the chances of theft.
5. Take out a comprehensive insurance policy
Even the most careful businesses may still fall victim to theft sometimes. For the ‘just in case’ moments, it’s a good idea to make sure you have the correct insurance to cover your back should anything unavoidable occur.
Although it’s never nice to think about your business being the target of theft, unfortunately these things do happen. However, the good news is that you can take steps today to reduce your chances. From securing belongings with padlocks and passwords, to investing in security cameras and purchasing the right insurance – you can protect yourself and your business from criminals.
